Battle of La Mesa
Part of theConquest of California during theMexican–American War
Date January 9, 1847 Location Rancho San Antonio, Alta California, Mexico (battlefields now parts of) Los Angeles River Modern Cities: Vernon, CA 34°0′8.65″N118°12′17.36″W / 34.0024028°N 118.2048222°W /34.0024028; -118.2048222 Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	Mexico
Commanders and leaders
Robert F. Stockton Stephen Watts Kearny John C. Fremont	José María Flores
Strength
607[1]: 192	300
Casualties and losses
1 killed 5 wounded[1]: 192	1 killed 20+ wounded[1]: 192
California Historical Landmark
Official name	La Mesa Battlefield
Reference no.	167[2]

TheBattle of La Mesa (also known as theBattle of Los Angeles) was the final battle of theCalifornia Campaign during theMexican–American War, occurring on January 9, 1847, in present-dayVernon, California, the day after theBattle of Rio San Gabriel.^[3] The battle was a victory for theUnited States Army under CommodoreRobert F. Stockton and GeneralStephen Watts Kearny.

Not finding any Californios at GovernorPío Pico's ranch, the Americans under Stockton and Kearny crossed the plain between theSan Gabriel River and theLos Angeles River called La Mesa.^[1]: 192 They encounteredJosé María Flores' 300-strong force ofCaliforniomilitia, including artillery,^[1]: 192 near where the city of Vernon now stands, about four miles south of Los Angeles.

The Californio guns were ineffective, while the American guns responded from their square as the Americans advanced.^[1]: 192 Flores extended his line and brought up two more guns.^[1]: 192 Stockton halted and formed his guns into a single battery.^[1]: 192 After fifteen minutes, Stockton's fire drove the Californian artillery from effective range.^[1]: 192 Flores sent his lancers against the American left flank but were driven back; most of his men deserted, allowing the Americans to advance into Los Angeles.^[1]: 192

The battle was the last armed resistance to the Americanconquest of California, and GeneralJosé María Flores returned to Mexico afterward. Three days after the battle, on January 12, the last significant group of residents surrendered to U.S. forces. The conquest and annexation ofAlta California was settled with the signing of theTreaty of Cahuenga byU.S. ArmyLieutenant-ColonelJohn C. Frémont and Mexican GeneralAndrés Pico on January 13, 1847.

The site of the battle is now registered asCalifornia Historical Landmark #167.^[2] The marker is located at 4490 Exchange Avenue at Downey Road in Vernon.^[2]

California Historical Landmark Marker No. 167 at the site reads:^[4]

• NO. 167 LA MESA BATTLEFIELD - La Mesa Battlefield served as a campsite for the California forces under General Castro in the summer of 1846, during the United States' occupation of California in the Mexican War. The battle of La Mesa, last military encounter of the war on the California front, was fought here January 9, 1847.

• Bibliography of Los Angeles
• Outline of the history of Los Angeles
• Bibliography of California history
• Los Angeles Union Stock Yards, site of original La Mesa battle historical marker
• List of conflicts in the United States
• Battles of the Mexican–American War
• CaptainJohn Strother Griffin (1816–1898), physician during the battle

• Bancroft, Hubert Howe (1882).The Works of Hubert Howe Bancroft. San Francisco: A.L. Bancroft & Co.OCLC 2539133.

• "La Mesa Battlefield - California Historical Landmark no. 167".California Historical Landmark Project Collection. MSS 204. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego (library.ucsd.edu). 1936–1940.

• 1847 in Mexico
• California Historical Landmarks
• Military history of Los Angeles
• Battles of the Conquest of California
• Vernon, California
• United States Marine Corps in the 18th and 19th centuries
• January 1847

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